The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annually conducts the principle eye research meeting in the world. Over 8,000 eye and vision researchers attend this meeting held annually in the United States. Nearly 5,500 abstracts, describing recent research efforts, are submitted and approximately 5,000 are accepted for presentation at the meeting. This meeting is targeted to clinical practitioners, research scientists, and medical education professionals and strives to meet the challenges and objectives set forth in the NEI National Plan: 1999-2003. The research presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting represents the latest developments in understanding, diagnosing, preventing and treating the many sight-threatening diseases and conditions.The dates for the next five ARVO Annual Meetings are: May 5 - 10, 2002; May 4 - 9, 2003; April 25 - May 30, 2004; May 1 - 6, 2005; April 30 - May 3, 2006